AKSUM – LEGENDS, MYSTERIES, A TALKING STONE, AND “STELAE!”

This is a difficult post to write.  When a scribe provides an account attempting to describe all that is significant in Aksum, it is like trying to herd cats or box with jello.  So much of what counts as “history” is fuzzy, layered with multiple scenarios, or flavored by misty myth and legend.

Guides and handlers do not help in this regard.  They mix and blur history and fact, often forgetting to remind the listener which was thought to be which at any given time.  On top of that, they are spellbound by their own storytelling.  Not everything that happens is earth shattering of mythical.  Yet you would not know this upon hearing them.  Every image in their awareness bank is played out to the last detail, richly adorned and lengthily embellished.

Aksum is known today at the administrative capital and trade center of northern Ethiopia (it is only 53 kilometers from the breakaway nation of Eritrea), but originally gained fame as the Kingdom of Aksum and later the first capitol of modern Ethiopia.  That is, if one is willing to overlook the ancient city of Yeha, a nearby Jewish settlement with memorable ruins but a poorly recorded history about which little is known.

As the religious center of an overwhelmingly Christian nation surrounded by Islamic neighbors, Aksum is regarded as a Holy City.  Christians and Muslims totaling nearly 65,000 in population get along peacefully here and have for hundreds of years.  But Aksum is “The New Jerusalem.”  In the same way that churches are not allowed in Saudi Arabia’s Medina or Mecca, mosques are not allowed in Aksum.  The Muslim folk that make up 10% of the population of the city must gather to worship elsewhere.

More importantly, Aksum has the most variety of attractions among the archeological drawing cards of upper Ethiopia consisting of Gondar, Lalibela, Aksum, Yeha, and Bahir Dar.  This feature is significant enough that the entire city has been tagged with a Unesco World Heritage Site designation as of 1980.

Travel here is made accessible by the highly reasonable “puddle jumper” airfares for a series of one and one-half hour flights offered by Ethiopian Air that connects the circuit.  Otherwise, these worthy sites would be a difficult journey.  Roads in this isolated slice of the country are slow, narrow, vertical, and the transport vans are heavily overcrowded.

Perhaps the theme for Aksum is an old advertising slogan: “Is it REAL, or is it Memorex?”  Aksum is described as “10% researched and 90% legend.” Is there really treasure buried in those royal tombs?  What is the meaning of all those huge obelisks?  Did the Queen of Sheba really live here, build that palace, and entertain in those baths?  And of most intrigue: is that the original Arc of The Covenant, sacred to Jews worldwide as the storage vestibule for Moses’ Ten Commandments that were received from God on Mt. Sinai?

Thematically in concert with the siting of northerly historical cities of note in this country, I also follow a loop in Aksum.  My first stop was the field of massive stelae (stone obelisks) and royal tombs half a mile and highly visible just outside the city.  What is known is that these massive granite monoliths were quarried five miles from the site they rest on.  But how they were carved, transported, or erected is not known.  This is just one of many mysteries associated with Aksum.

A number of unfinished stelae remain in the quarry, waiting to be released from the rock.  It appears from their construct that they were crafted in the same way that the churches of Lalibela had been, and the famous Moai “Stone Faced Statues” of Easter Island: top down, carved into channels, hollowed out at the bottom, then gradually lifted and tilted with great effort and slowy pulled overland on rollers.

But that does not stop local guides and myth mongers from suggesting that the monoliths were carried to their present site by angels.  And elephants.  And giants.  We know their purpose to be markers for Royal grave sites.  We know the largest and most decorated stones were for kings, the smooth and smaller versions for nobles, and the roughest and smallest for less distinguished men. But what specific stories were meant to be conveyed for each deceased in the designs of each pillar, is one of those undiscovered revelations patiently awaiting its time.

Still dominating the 120 member Northern Stelae Field is a toppled giant among tots: The Great Stelae.  It weighs in at 520 tons, and has a (previous) length of 33 meters.  It lays fractured now in three primary sections above the site from which it was once raised.  The written record does not tell us how this occurred.  Earthquakes (most stelae fall in the same direction, suggesting geographic forces at play) are often blamed. 

Local lore tells us it was really felled by the 10^th century non-Christian Queen, the Jewess Dudit.  But archeologists say the beast collapsed of its own weight shortly after being raised (probably due to its inadequate base plate and the fact not enough of it was anchored below ground). Supposedly, Makeda – the legendary Queen of Sheba – was buried at its base.  One quickly learns it is fun wading through Aksum history, with all its … possibilities.

Another standing stelae of impressive dimension is the nearby “Rome Stelae.”  It is so named due to being removed on order of the Italian Dictator Benito Mussolini in 1937 as a war prize for Italy’s brief 5-year takeover of Ethiopia.  It was laboriously transported on sleds over two months to what is now Eritrea and then shipped to the Italian capitol.   This King Ezana Stelae (as it was originally called) was returned in 2005, and left alone in five parts for three years as the Italians (who are not thought of fondly in these parts) refused to rebuild the monument – primarily due to the complexity and cost involved.

Eventually Unesco stepped in with funding and equipment for the careful alignment of the 25 meter and 170 ton decorated project.  The return required the largest air freight lift ever, and an expensive lengthening of the runway at Aksum to receive the oversized load.  Eventually, the King Ezana Stelae was reconstructed with Kevlar fiberglass stanchions and erected anew in 2008.

Still a third impressive granite needle rises not quite as majestically close nearby.  It is 23 meters in height, and weighs 160 tons.  This version is rather stork-like in appearance, due to a series of attached metal supporting struts.  It is notable due to being decorated, smooth, and rough depending on which side is viewed.

Returning to the Great Stelae … below its twisted snakelike remains are 13 burial chambers (one partially caved in), first excavated only in 1994.  The tombs were discovered to be empty.  But this is thought to be a timeline issue.  Ethiopia was pagan until the fourth century AD, and this collection of fallen royals was merely assumed to have been moved some time after 333 AD, when the country turned to Christianity and the Kings and their noble cohorts were re-interred with a “proper Christian burial.” 

The underground burial complex (first explored in 1973) consists of a maze of access tunnels created by tomb robbers, fallen stelae which have pierced the stone roofs of some chambers, stelae base plates which have gradually descended through the years from above, buried staircases, walls, platforms, shafts, masonry chambers, and their contents – skulls and bones, metal, pottery, and mini-piles of grave odds and ends.

Part of this burial field is dominated by a slab cover measuring 16 by 6 meters, known as the “Windy Temple.”  This flattened single piece of granite weighs in at over 360 tons.  It is unknown how it was moved, placed, or carved.  The masonry involved in its sub-structure is as fine as that found on any Inca stonework -- mortarless joints so tight they can not be pierced by a sharp knife are abundantly evident.

Another tomb chamber removed from the main field is known as the “False Door” Tomb.  It acquired its name as a result of finely detailed carvings in the form of a door, which can not be opened.  This illusion had no effect on tomb robbers whatsoever though, as they simply looked for flat ground uphill from the door and then burrowed down to giant granite slabs forming the roof of the enclosure.  From there they levered aside the stone covers, then pillaged both the royal burial site and the disguised treasure room next door (which also failed to avoid detection). 

To this day we have no idea of what was stored there, or what was removed.  We only that it was intended as a storeroom for all those glittery necessities a king would need to enjoy the afterlife in style.  And that another mystery related to “Is it Real or Is it Memorex?” is perpetuated.

The legendary Queen of Sheba leaves us much to ponder.  Like King Arthur in Dark Ages England, nobody really knows when she was born, who she succeeded, how she ruled, or what territory was considered hers.  She is said to have occupied a part of Yemen.  Perhaps Nubia.  Even parts of Egypt and Arabia.  Different versions of her existence are portrayed in the Bible (both old and new testaments), the Koran, and in Yemeni, Nigerian, Arabian, Renaissance, and Medieval lore.  Ethiopia appears to have the strongest claim, however, based on the number of historical sites said to be connected with her in the time period approximately 1000 BC.

The most compelling story (the Ethiopian version) related to the mystic Queen is in her connection with the fabled Jewish monarch, King Solomon.  It is the path by which the Ethiopian Royal Family claimed its lineage through Menelik the 1^st (its first emperor).  It goes something like this: The Queen of Sheba traveled from her realm to Israel to seek out the counsel of Solomon, noted for his wisdom.  One reason given for this journey is that Soloman had invited The Queen – whose people were said to be sun worshipers – to accept monotheism … The One God.

While in Jerusalem,  Solomon invited the Queen to a banquet and served spicy food to later induce her thirst.  He then invited her to stay in his palace overnight. The Queen asked him to swear that he would not take her amorously by force. He accepted, but on terms that she would not in turn take anything from his domain without permission. The Queen indignantly assured him that she would not.  She was after all a rich and powerful monarch in her own right. However, she woke up in the middle of the night quite thirsty. Just as she reached for a jar of water strategically placed close to her bed by the King, he suddenly appeared, and warned her that she was about to violate her oath (water being a precious and not easily obtained commodity at the time).

While thus satisfying her thirst, she also freed the king from his oath.  The seduction was complete.  Menelik 1^st was begat of that union and born in Ethiopia upon the Queen’s return.  Legend further subscribes that he returned to visit his father at age 25, and brought back to Ethiopia that famous sacred relic known as the Arc of The Covenant (the 1^st century AD Roman historian Josephus lends some credence to this version, at least to the meeting of The Queen with Solomon nine centuries earlier).

There are probably more tales than told by the Arabian Princess Shaharazad (to stave off the deadly advances of her would be suitor in “The Arabian Nights”) when it comes to what became of the Arc of The Covenant.  Its last known location was the 2^nd Jewish Temple in Jerusalem just before it was sacked by the Romans in 70 AD following a Jewish rebellion in Judea.

One version has it going to Europe with the Knights Templar.  Another proposed in the investigative reporting book “Holy Blood, Holy Grail” (precursor to the book and movie “The Da Vinci Code”) has it residing quietly inside a Scottish sanctuary out of reach of plotting Catholic zealots.  But the longest claim lies with the Ethiopians.  They claim it rests safely in Aksum, in an annex of the Church of St. Mary of Zion Church.

From what outsiders are told, the Arc is stored within a “Holy of Holies” room deep within a tunnel complex carved out of rock beneath the Church.  Only one man is allowed to be in the presence of this treasure.  This is a lifetime duty.  It is said to be “too powerful” and contain “forces we can not see or understand” that would blind and deafen any other human.  The relic is guarded very closely, and the subterranean complex is said to have many false leads as to where it is actually located.

The building in which it is housed is unremarkable in itself.  Modest in size and appearance, it looks as if a handful of determined Ninjas could easily take the premises.  Tourists are allowed to approach within about 50 yards, and photo opportunities of the exterior of the building are now allowed without interference.  Formerly proximity restrictions were put on those who were not church members or employees, but that is no longer true.

There are no known photos of the Arc.  Nobody above ground has even claimed to have seen it.  Like a rock sentinel or a long abandoned castle, the sole duty of its caretakers appears to be that of time guardians – awaiting that moment Christians refer to as “The Second Coming” when Jesus of Nazareth returns to claim his earthly domain.  And yet, faith in the holy icon is airtight.  Each Ethiopian King’s royal investiture takes place on a ground level Coronation Stone outside St. Mary’s and always situated as close to the Arc as possible.

The Church itself is much more notable.  It is segregated into two parts, Old and New.  The original was built in the 17^th Century by King Fasildes, modern Ethiopia’s first monarch.  At the time of my visit it was undergoing restoration and could not be entered.  The new building, constructed in 1965, is much larger and well lit.  Women are allowed within its confines, a change in policy over the previous place of worship.

The new church is airy with glass walls allowing for multiple streams of light to illuminate a fine collection of icons and original oil paintings stored without much regard to security on the sanctuary walls.  Many are hundreds of years old.  Most feature some representation of St. George.  Of course, immediately after being granted a chance to view said paintings, one is also offered the opportunity to “contribute” to an outstretched palm for the privilege.  A point of amusement is that the same three to five faces are represented over and over again on the canvases, whether as child, septuagenarian, man, or woman.  Only the facial hair and hair color seem to change!

My opportunity to visit those sites associated with The Queen of Sheba were brief in passing.  One was a massive reservoir sized pool, with a masonry short-dam type end wall and sloping stone sides.  Many of the locals were enjoying a lazy spring day, lounging on the edges, and then when sufficiently heated suddenly tore out from their resting spots for a mad inclined dash at the water below.  It did not appear however as if the quality masonry evident in the dam end of the pool had been fitted nearly 1000 years before the birth of Christ.  More legend …

The other spot was described as “The Queen of Sheba’s Palace.”  It is known locally as Dungur ‘Addi Kilte or “The Palace of Makeda.”   The Palace is located in the west end of town, near the quarry from which most of the stelae in town are carved, and across from one of the older yet major stand of monoliths, the Gudit Stelae Field.  It is a very impressive ruin.

It is comprised of roughly 30 rooms, built of mortarless stacked stone, has excellent water sources and defensive capabilities, and comprises roughly 3200 square meters of multi-story space.  The Palace is described by one archeologist as “"the sort of dwelling that a prosperous Aksumite, perhaps a noble or high official … might have constructed for himself."  However, it is estimated to have been constructed in the 4^th to 6^th century AD, post-dating The Queen by upwards of 1400 years.  So, on to the next Aksum mystery …

Egypt’s Rosetta Stone (now in the British Museum in London) is probably the most famous translation key on the planet.  With inscriptions in three languages written on its face describing essentially the same text (Ancient Greek, Egyptian Demotic, and Egyptian Hieroglyphs), it provided the key in 1822 to translating and then understanding hieroglyphs for the first time.

Ethiopia has its own Rosetta Stone.  It is called The Ezana Stone.  It reigns from the time of King Ezana (he of the giant stelae elsewhere in Aksum) in the 4^th Century AD, describing his conversion to Christianity and his victories over nearby enemies – the Nubians, the Arabians, and the successor to Makeda (Sheba’s) lands, the Kushites .

Early in his reign, which started in AD 330 and lasted 26 years, Ezana was converted to Christianity by his tutor and slave, Saint Frumentius.  This conversion did not keep him from martial pursuits however.  Ezana directed the Kingdom of Aksum expansion east to mid-Arabia, north through Nubia, and well into modern day Kenya.

His victories were inscribed on stone in three languages – Ge’ez (ancient Eritrean/Ethiopian), Sabaean (South Arabian), and Greek.  The collection of praises exalting God and himself and all telling the same story helped provide a greater understanding of both Sabaean and Ge’ez due to the Greek commonality on the carvings.

This unique and priceless carving is located in an obscure hut one would otherwise think to be a sheepherder’s shelter or a bus stand.  It is located half a mile from the Northern Stelae Field.  It is manned by a single attendant.  Considering the treasure this hut holds it is remarkable for its modest mortared rock construction and tin roof.  Plain descriptive panels describe the stone’s story and importance in several languages.  The self-effacing guide is capable of answering a few questions but none in depth.  Sadly, a thief could break in at night with a thumb and forefinger.

A final, brief visit is paid before sunset to The Tomb of King Kaleb, a 6^th century ruler of Ethiopia.  His impressive below ground burial chamber is mindful of the somewhat grander and more decorated Egyptian tombs of the Valley of The Kings in Egypt.  It is not guarded, either.  Many secret and as yet uncovered tunnels spiderweb out from this complex in different directions.  Only a handful have been excavated.  Their purpose is not clear, but due to the quality of those uncovered it is evident something serious was anticipated.

Ironically, King Kaleb (and later his son, King Gebre Mesker) were not buried in their prepared places of honor.  King Kaleb, like so many Ethiopian Kings both before and after, turned toward a life of piety and moved to a monastery where he was eventually buried in a much simpler tomb.